Rye Sound Shore 6-14-13

Rye Sound Shore 6-14-13

Vol. 13/Number 23
www.myryesoundshore.com
June 14, 2013
DIG IT!
On Thursday June 6, the Rye City School District held a groundbreaking ceremony to usher in the long-awaited construction of the high school’s new science wing. The project is scheduled for completion in September 2014. For story, see page 7. Photo/Liz Button
City GOP nominates full slate
By ASHLEY HELMS and LIZ BUTTON SOUND SHORE REVIEW STAFF ashley@hometwn.com liz@hometwn.com
Fourth Rye teacher accused of testing irregularities
By ASHLEY HELMS STAFF REPORTER ashley@hometwn.com
Following recent accusations of testing irregularities at Osborn and Milton schools, some faculty members and parents have signed a petition to get the accused teachers back in the classroom; citing their integrity as educators. It is unclear how many people have signed the petition. But a fourth teacher, who is employed at the Osborn School, is now being investigated for possible wrongdoing-up from a total of three teachers in question last week-according to the district’s public rela-
tions coordinator Karina Stabile. The three Osborn teachers, including Gail Topol and Carin Mehler and one Milton teacher, Dana Coppola, have all been suspended from their jobs with pay pending an investigation by the county District Attorney’s ofﬁce and the state Department of Education, which remains ongoing. The alleged testing scandal is said to have happened during districtwide standardized tests for English, Language Arts and Mathematics when the teachers were alleged to have coached a small group of students in the third and fourth grades. Arthur Schwartz, an attorney rep-
resenting the accused teachers, said that he is aware that teachers have created a petition in support of their colleagues’ reinstatement. Schwartz said that the accused teachers have denied any wrongdoing. “I communicated back to the school board’s attorney, who doesn’t seem to be backing down,” Schwartz said. In a letter to the Rye City School District, Doug and Caroline Logan said Topol taught their daughter Isabelle at Osborn School, helping her become more conﬁdent and proactive, which shined through across all academic areas. Mr. and Mrs.
TEACHER continued on page 14
Rye Republicans voted to nominate City Council incumbents Julie Killian and Joe Sack, along with political newcomers Kirstin Bucci and Terry McCartney, on June 6 to present a full slate of candidates for this November’s election. There are four open seats to ﬁll this election season, including the mayor’s. The Rye Republicans nominated Sack to run for mayor to succeed current Rye mayor, Republican Doug French. In April, French announced he would not run for a second term, citing a busy work schedule. Sack, a two-term councilman, has often sparred with French since the mayor was elected in 2009. And over the past year, tensions between Sack, 44, and the mayor reached a boiling point over several high-proﬁle scandals that have plagued the city, including Rye Golf Club and Rye TV. Sack, a securities litigation attorney in private practice, said he is running on a platform of open government, transparency and accountability. He plans on implementing “simple” changes that he said he believes will have a dramatic impact. “For instance, right now the way the city charter is set up, an individual council member cannot, as a right, request information from the city manager,” Sack said. Currently, only the mayor has that authority. Sack said the right to request any documents at any time will help the council maintain proper oversight over the city manager. Sack, a registered Republican, said he would also like to change
the city charter to enable City Council members to have direct discussions with department heads. Currently, everything must be channeled through City Manager Scott Pickup. The mayor, he said, has a special role on the council: to help distribute information from the city manager to the council, not to act as an impediment to the free ﬂow of information. While he has no plans to tinker with Rye’s city manager form of government, Sack said he has lost faith and conﬁdence in Pickup. Two weeks ago, the caucus, which took place at the Damiano Center on Midland Avenue, was postponed when new candidates surfaced with the desire to come before the party’s screening committee at the last minute. In total, nine candidates expressed interest during the screening process, including Richard Mecca, Leon Sculti and Patrick McCarthy. Prior to their late appearance, party leadership told Jim Amico and Jason Mehler they would not be nominated. Both newcomers Bucci and McCartney were inspired to run due to the discovery of years of alleged ﬁnancial fraud at the Rye Golf Club, of which they are both members. Bucci, 41, a former ﬁnancial industry analyst, is married with three daughters. She has lived in Rye for 10 years and has actively volunteered in the Rye public schools and coached Rye youth soccer. She is a registered Democrat. “No matter your political party registration, I believe that what we need right now in Rye on a local level is common sense,” Bucci said. McCartney, a Republican, works as
GOP continued on page 15
2 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • June 14, 2013
Rye Country Day School Class of 2013
John Nicholas Almodóvar – Bronx Adam Lawrence Alpert – Purchase Brianna Nicole Arroyo – Bronx Matthew Galyon Beatty – Riverside, Conn. Carolyn Mattiace Binder – Scarsdale Ariana Boccanfuso – Purchase John Philip Carroll – Scarsdale Ryan Francis Carroll – Carmel Elena Kendra Conn - Greenwich, Conn. Ruben Javier Conn – Mt. Vernon Matthew Jeremiah Crowley – Rye Merritt Cullman – Rye Claire Carole D’Arcangelo – Greenwich, Conn. Megan Mary D’Arcangelo – Greenwich, Conn. Tyler Scott Davidson – Rye Ignacio de Lera Fernández – Rye Peter Alexander Duncan – Rye Summer Elbardissy – White Plains Eleanor Julia Fanto – Larchmont Holly Michelle Farkas – White Plains Anthony Kyriakos Faustini – Purchase Taylor Erin Forte – Pleasantville Madison Lane Friedman – Harrison Samantha Lindsay Friedwald – Purchase Valerie Renee Gard – Greenwich, Conn. Robert Thomas Allen Garry – Mamaroneck Andrew J. Gillen – Hartsdale Anne Blanche Grayer – Harrison Christopher Nicholas Hanson – Rye Emily Rose Hauben – Larchmont Miranda Beatrice Hearst – Larchmont Henry Eric Heller – Harrison Wenchen Huang – Mamaroneck Bonnie Grace Ishiguro – Mt. Vernon Elizabeth Hannah Judd – Stamford, Conn. Julie Michelle Kahn – Greenwich, Conn. Riley Whittington Kaminer – Harrison Jillian Hannah Katz – Stamford, Conn. Nicholas James Kemp – Mt. Kisco Robert Sunho Kim – Rye Nicole Ann King – Harrison James MacMillian Kissell – Rye Georgia Kleiner – Pelham Stefanie Rachelle Kligman – Rye Stephen Alanson Knight – Rowayton, Conn. Danielle Ines Ledesma – Stamford, Conn. Robert Philip Levine – Riverside, Conn. Robert Leslie Linton – Rye Brittany Miranda Maldonado – Bronx Clare Melissa McClintock – Larchmont Elizabeth Rice McCurdy – Larchmont Raishaun Michael McGhee – Greenwich, Conn. John Patrick McGovern – Rye Rebecca Pearl Mendelsohn – Larchmont Matthew Joseph Mollerus – Larchmont Victoria Sanford Montgomery – Rye Marlana Jane Moysak – Rye Samuel Murphy – Purchase Olivia Wolfe Nichols – Greenwich, Conn. William Louis Ostrau – Purchase Sarah A. Peck – Larchmont/Rye Brook John Hugh Reynolds – Harrison John Norris Rigby – Greenwich, Conn. Michael Rocco III – Greenwich, Conn. Nicole Myra Rogers – Greenwich, Conn. Katherine Davis Sachs – Greenwich, Conn. Brett Ryan Saperstein – Greenwich, Conn. Julie Rachel Shanus – Pleasantville John Robert DeWitt Shuck – Rye Amanda Jane Simensky – Katonah Adam Drake Simon – Purchase Rahul Sinha – Stamford, Conn. Bryce Lauren Smith – Rye Brook Andres David Soto – Stamford, Conn. Matthew Joseph Swain – Greenwich, Conn. Harrison Tyler Tananbaum – Purchase Hanna Sophia Vinitsky – Stamford, Conn. Reed Douglas Waggoner - Rye Andrew Lynch Waite – Rye Brittany Mercedes-Isabella Wattley - Bronx, NY Allison Grace Wong – Armonk Evan Matthew Wong – Armonk Eve Sandra Wulf – Larchmont David Aaron Yelsey – Pelham Clara Jackson Zander – Katonah
Shopping event to support children’s health documentary
A small group of dedicated women from local towns including Harrison, Rye, and Greenwich have taken up a new cause. These volunteers have signed on to help raise money for an innovative new ﬁlm project called “The Canary Kids Film Project.” The project aims to bring awareness to the new childhood epidemics sweeping through this country, including autism, ADHD, allergies and asthma. The project will provide seven children-with a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, asthma or another chronic condition-with free healing and recovery services for a period of 18 months. The children’s recovery journey will be documented and made into a powerful feature-length ﬁlm to be directed by award-winning ﬁlmmaker Mary Mazzio of 50 Eggs Films. The ﬁlm will provide an exposé on the many factors contributing to the epidemics, but will also leave viewers with a message of hope: These childhood conditions can be reversed. Dr. Martha Herbert, MD, PhD, pediatric neurologist and professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, will oversee the Medical Advisory Board for the project and will also perform a clinical study of
Weichert associate earns award
Jo Ellen Ashby, regional vice president of Weichert, Realtors, announced that Anthony Dilullo of the Rye ofﬁce was individually recognized for his exceptional industry success during the month of May. A top producer, Dilullo led the region, which is comprised of ofﬁces throughout Orange, Westchester and Rockland counties, in new home dollar volume. Invite this top neighborhood specialist in to learn about the real estate services that Weichert, Realtors has to offer. He can be reached in Weichert’s Rye ofﬁce at 83 Purchase St. or by phone at (914) 967-0460. Since 1969, Weichert, Realtors has grown from a single ofﬁce into one of the nation’s leading providers of homeownership services by putting its customers ﬁrst. A family of full-service real estate and ﬁnancial services companies, Weichert helps customers buy and sell both residential and commercial real estate, and streamlines the delivery of mortgages and home and title insurance. Weichert leverages its customer website, www.weichert. com, one of the most visited real estate websites in the nation, to help families and individuals realize the dream of homeownership through
the enrolled children. The project is sponsored by Epidemic Answers, a 501(c)(3) nonproﬁt organization dedicated to helping parents ﬁnd recovery solutions for children with chronic illnesses. Local volunteers, including Mary Toulouse of Harrison, Jennifer Lanzarone Lindsay of Greenwich, and Eileen Iorio of Rye, have helped to raise over $150,000 for the ﬁlm project so far. Epidemic Answers, with the support of these local volunteers, has a number of additional fundraising events planned for the coming months. The ﬁrst event is a charity shopping night to be held in downtown Rye on Thursday, June 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The shopping event, whimsically titled, “Canary in the Rye,” is being held in collaboration with the Rye Chamber of Commerce and many local merchants. Participating stores will be donating between 10 percent and 20 percent of sales to Epidemic Answers in support of the Canary Kids Film Project. Shoppers are invited to enjoy
a glass of wine and light appetizers after shopping, compliments of Ruby’s Bistro & Oyster Bar, located on Purchase Street. Stores participating in the charity shopping night include: Alex and Ani, Angela’s, Blush Beauty Bar, Blue Mercury, Bubble & Tweet, Candy Rox, Great Stuff, Havana Jeans, Health through Massage, Learning Express, Longford’s Ice Cream, Nest, Parkers, Ruby’s Bistro & Oyster Bar, Rye Running Company, The Open House, Twinkle Toes, Walin & Wolff, Weezie D, Wine At Five, Wish, and more stores soon to join. Additional fundraising events are planned for New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa Bay and other cities to help pay for the treatment and healing of the children and the production of the ﬁlm. To see a trailer for The Canary Kids Film Project, learn more about Epidemic Answers, or to donate to the project, please visit www.canarykidsmovie.com. Donations to the project are taxdeductible. (Submitted)
Anthony Dilullo
quick and easy access to listing information and the services of its real estate professionals nationwide. For more information, Weichert’s customer service center can be reached at 1-800-USA-SOLD. Weichert franchised ofﬁces are independently owned and operated. (Submitted)
June 14, 2013 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • 3
Westchester Children’s Museum still awaits move to Playland
By LIZ BUTTON STAFF REPORTER liz@hometwn.com
It appears doubtful that the Westchester Children’s Museum will get its four walls just yet. While the museum received approval from the county Board of Legislators in June 2012 to move into the 1920s-era North Bathhouse along the county-owned Playland boardwalk, the county administration has not yet granted the museum permission to begin the 18 to 24 months of construction work needed to transform the property. It is the contention of some on the Democratic-dominated county Board of Legislators—who held a press conference on the Playland boardwalk in May—that County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, is using the museum as leverage to get the board to approve his choice of a park management ﬁrm: The non-proﬁt Sustainable Playland, Inc. Tracy Kay, the museum’s executive director, said fundraising for the project has been somewhat stymied since the museum has not yet received access to the bathhouse itself to begin construction. According to Julie Sootin, the museum’s director of development, the non-proﬁt campaign for the Westchester Children’s Museum has raised more than $9 million for the project over the last 12 years, but still needs to raise $10 million more. Legislators have criticized the county executive for rushing the SPI agreement through approvals at the executive level, at one point attempting to bypass the legislature until ofﬁcials conﬁrmed the board’s approval was needed on any structural changes to the park. SPI spokesman Geoff Thompson said that there is a good reason that the county has connected the two projects because, in operating the entire park, SPI will pay for some of the museum’s essential maintenance and operational services—like snow removal and certain cleaning, utilities and security expenses—helping all tenants on the property to control costs. “[The museum is] not going to operate as an enclave unto themselves and they don’t want to,” said Thompson. The county executive signed a statement of intent to sign a contract with SPI on October 11, 2012, and this April announced an asset management agreement with SPI. According to this agreement, SPI would take over the park in October of this year if the improvement plan submitted to the county last month is approved by the Board of Legislators. Astorino and a citizens’ advisory committee picked Sustainable Playland out of proposals from 12 management ﬁrms, after the county executive sent out the original request for pro-
The museum’s website contains renderings of its new location at Playland. Currently, the museum has ofﬁces in White Plains, but it does not have an ofﬁcial building, calling itself “a museum without walls.” Photo courtesy Westchester Children’s Museum.
posals in 2010 to refurbish the park. All of the four ﬁnalists currently being vetted by the legislature include the museum in their plans. Since its founding in 2000, the children’s museum, which calls itself “a museum without walls,” has provided interactive educational programs at schools and other venues to lower income youth, serving around 9,000 children each year. Kay said he has waited for 13 years to move from the non-proﬁt’s modest White Plains ofﬁce into a “real” building, and is eager to get started. However, it is a fact that museums don’t crop up overnight, he said. “When you’re working with a government partnership, there are lots of hurdles,” said Kay. The museum will beneﬁt jobseekers in the county, according to museum ofﬁcials, which projects 25 to 30 construction jobs and 15 permanent positions to be added during the ﬁrst year of operation. With an estimated annual visitation of 200,000 people, the Westchester Children’s Museum is projected to add over $4 million a year to the local economy, according to ofﬁcials with the non-proﬁt. County Legislator Judy Myers, a Democrat who spoke at May’s press conference, said that frustratingly, despite separate approvals from the state legislature and the Board of Legislators of a 10-year lease last year, the project has not moved forward. Last October, the bathhouse’s exterior was renovated by the county,which invested $7 million to bring the building up to code for occupancy. But, currently, the museum is an empty shell, she said. Myers said she thinks SPI’s year-round plan will bring in an increased number of visitors.
“I think it’s somewhat unfair to the children’s museum to have the museum’s fate held hostage to SPI’s progress with the Board of Legislators,” said Myers, who is in favor of SPI’s proposal. “If we could get enough of a hue and cry from the public, I think we could get the keys handed over.” However, former Village of Mamaroneck Trustee Tom Murphy, who is running for Myers’ seat, said that not everyone is in favor of SPI,
which does not have deep pockets and is inexperienced with running an amusement park. Astorino is extorting the privatization of a public park at the expense of the children who would beneﬁt from the museum’s services, Murphy said. “I think it’s just a very heavy hand. He wants to have his way and be the operator of Playland, and he’s willing to hold a good project in jeopardy until he gets his way,” Murphy said. According to Ned McCormack, communications director for the county executive, the county, the museum and SPI have had a series of “aggressive, constructive discussions,” and now the next step is in the works. “Again, this is about dotting all the I’s and crossing all the T’s to make sure all the legal documentation is there,” he said. “If you look at this as an analogy to this as an ofﬁce building or a mall, SPI is going to control the master lease,” McCormack said. “They’re going to be the head landlord and the children’s museum will be one of their tenants,” he said. To ofﬁcials, the plan makes perfect sense for the county, he said. While some argue that the museum does not have the ﬁnancial wherewithal to move into the Playland space at this time, the museum reported that, at the end of the ﬁscal year in June 2012, its coffers hold around $2.43 million in assets, a ﬁgure corroborated in ﬁnancial documents provided by Kay.
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4 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • June 14, 2013
C ommunity Briefs
Rye Library events Dig into Chinese history The Chinese Language School of Connecticut will present four Saturday morning programs for children age three and a half and up at the Rye Free Reading Room during June. “Chinese Banquet Foods and Traditions of Celebration and Worship” on June 15, “The Dragon Boat Festival” on June 22, and “Chinese Lanterns: Symbols of Celebration for All Occasions” on June 29. For more information about these programs, call 914-231-3162 or visit www.ryelibrary.org. Computer classes The Rye Free Reading Room will offer a workshop on basic Microsoft Word on Thursday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to noon. The class presents the basic skills for using the most popular word processing program. Learn how to prepare documents and how to save and retrieve them from computer storage. Printing options will also be covered. Some computer experience is necessary to take this workshop. There is no sign-up for this free class, which is ﬁrst come, ﬁrst served. For more information, go to www.ryelibrary.org or call 914-231-3161.
Legislation and Learning: Schools of Thought Kathee St. Vincent will speak about legislation and educational reform at the Rye Free Reading Room on Saturday, June 15, at 2 p.m. Her talk will address issues such as how government interventions inﬂuence our schools in positive or negative ways, how legislative mandates make a difference in our children’s learning, and how most recent regulations concerning teacher evaluations affect our schools. She will also discuss the growing focus on high-stakes assessments and describe charter schools and school vouchers. Ms. St. Vincent, for whom the Katherine St. Vincent ESL Scholarship Fund was named, taught for many years in the Tarrytown school district and was the head of the ESL department at Sleepy Hollow High School. This event is presented by the Holistic Moms Network. For more information, call 914-231-3161 or visit www.ryelibrary.org. “Stars Over the Harbor” A free lecture and stargazing program for the community at Wainwright House, 260 Stuyvesant Avenue, Rye, N.Y. Friday, June 14 Lecture 8:15 p.m. Viewing 9:15 p.m. Lecture under the Wainwright House tent. Seating is limited, ﬁrst-come, ﬁrst served. Star viewing on the back lawn. School’s out for summer–reach for the stars.
Wainwright House is honored to partner with Westchester Amateur Astronomers, Inc. for this exciting program. WAA members, along with President Dr. Lawrence Faltz, will point out the moon, at 26 degrees almost due west on June 14, and Saturn at 37 degrees elevation and due south starting at 9:15 p.m. Dr. Faltz predicts that we may see double stars, and perhaps two galaxies. Wainwright House on Milton Harbor in Rye, N.Y. is the nation’s oldest, holistic non-sectarian learning center offering classes that nurture the body, mind and spirit. For more information, or to register, please call 914-967-6080 or visit wainwright.org. Westchester County Nature Center Events Friday, June 14 Trailside Nature Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Routes 35 and 121 South, Cross River 914-864-7322 Second Annual Fireﬂy Festival 8 p.m. Witness the daily light show at dusk, enjoy an ice cream social, and learn about and catch ﬁreﬂies. Saturday, June 15 Cranberry Lake Preserve, Old Orchard Street, North White Plains 914-428-1005 Managing Invasives with a Fork and Knife 1 p.m. Learn which ones are edible and how to control the rest. Marshlands Conservancy, Boston Post Road, Route 1, Rye 914-835-4466 The Dragonﬂies of June 2 p.m. Bring binoculars to observe the dragon and damselﬂies in the pond and salt marsh. Sunday, June 16 Marshlands Conservancy, Boston Post Road, Route 1, Rye 914-835-4466 One for the Waders 1 p.m. Bring binoculars to view egrets, herons and other shore birds feeding along the shoreline at mid-tide. Summer reading and writing program For parents concerned their children will lose academic ground over the summer, The Center for Literacy Enrichment-Pace University has a solution–The Summer Reading & Writing Program. From pre-schoolers to middle schoolers, the program provides children with an opportunity to not only maintain their reading, writing and comprehensive skills, but also to make gains academically in fun and informative ways. The program, which runs from July 1 to 31, offers full-day and half-day sessions. Certiﬁed teachers provide small-group instruction complemented by theme-based indoor and outdoor activities, including science experiments, crafts and games in a noncompetitive setting. The Summer Reading & Writing Program is held on the campus of Pace University Law School, 78 North Broadway, White Plains. Early bird registration, prior to June 14, qualiﬁes for a 5 percent discount on tuition. For more information, or to register your child, contact Center Director Sister St. John Delany, PhD at 914-422-4135.
Kitten & cat adoption day Sunday, June 16 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Petco 324 N. Central Ave. Hartsdale www.NY-PetRescue.org petrescueny@aol.com 914-834-6955 Peruvian food tasting Local Chefs, Peruvian artists and hundreds of people from Westchester County, Connecticut and New York City will join the Tasting at Peru Food Festival and Expo, the ﬁrst Peruvian gastronomic event in the history of Westchester County, New York, with the aim of promoting Peruvian cuisine and to promote Peru, which is currently enjoying a gastronomic boom. The event will be held at Crawford Park, in Rye Brook, Sunday June 23, 2013, Noon to 7 p.m. Tasting at Peru Food Festival and Expo aims to support the Peruvian youth and adults of New York with experience in the gastronomical marvels of their country as well as enter the business professionally; offering Peruvian food services in a highly competitive market and where there is a huge window of opportunity for them. Westchester Hispano, organizer of the culinary festival, has the mission to encourage these future owners of restaurants and Peruvian local caterers with their commitment to responsibility in providing quality food that proudly represents the Incan land. At Tasting at Peru Food Festival & Expo, Peruvian chefs will showcase dishes with inﬂuences of different cultures from the Peruvian Mosaic: From the ceviche dish, ﬂag and king of the Peruvian coast, to the pachamanca, great representative of the Andes; the delicious juanes, in the Jungle of Peru, to the chiriuchu, traditional dish of Cusco. There will be a special presentation of quinoa by a renowned Peruvian Chef. Soundview Sports Summer Mini Day Camp Soundview Sports Summer Day Camp has developed a unique movement-based program for 3 and a half to 5-year-old boys and girls. Age appropriate sports and activities, including swim instruction, will be offered. Created by Soundview Sports educators, together with experienced pre-school and elementary school physical education and health professionals, the Soundview Sports Summer Mini Day Camp focuses on fine-motor as well as gross-motor skills. The Soundview Sports Summer Mini Day Camp will run from 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m .at Manhattanville College throughout the summer. Lunch is included. Camp starts on Monday, June 24 and ends on Friday, Aug. 9, 2013. Please call Soundview Sports at 914-3235400 and/or visit soundviewsports.com for further information on all of our programs. Deadline for our Community Briefs section is every Friday at 12 p.m. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
June 14, 2013 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • 5
District appoints ﬁrst assistant principals at elementary schools
By LIZ BUTTON STAFF REPORTER liz@hometwn.com
The Rye City School District created two new assistant principal positions at Midland and Osborn Elementary schools, as part-time staff developer positions at the district’s three elementary schools were eliminated from the 2013-2014 budget. District administrators appointed New Rochelle teacher Joanna Napolitano as assistant principal of Midland School and, from Washingtonville, Torrance Walley as assistant principal of Osborn School. Unlike the elementary schools, the city’s middle and high schools utilize assistant principal positions, so the district is poised to see how the model works at the elementary level. Milton Elementary School, which has around 400 students compared to more than 600 at Osborn and around 550 at Midland, will maintain one staff developer, Kerri Winderman. Three other stafff developers—teachers on special assignment tasked with providing professional support to other teachers—will return to the classroom. Since Milton has a lower population, it is not necessary to add more staff to help implement unfunded state mandates like Annual Professional Performance Reviews or to provide sufﬁcient instructional leadership, including integrating the new Common Core Learning Standards, which were rolled out in New York in 2011.
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Dr. Mary Anne Evangelist said that it was clear from how the process went that more administrative staff was needed to implement the teacher evaluation program. Both new teachers, who start in July, have experience implementing the state Common Core Learning Standards into the curriculum and with providing general instructional leadership, according to the school district. Napolitano, who currently teaches fourth grade at William B. Ward Elementary School in New Rochelle, said she is prepared to make the leap from a teaching to an administrative role at Midland, which is led by principal Dr. Angela Grille. “This will be the first time they will be having an assistant principal, so everyone is eager and excited to see how the role…will play out,” said Napolitano, who has taught at the elementary level in other districts since 2000. Napolitano earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master of Arts Degree from George Washington University and holds a Master of Science in teaching from Fordham University. In her own district, she organized a literacy program integrating writing, reading, spelling and grammar, and implemented book groups. During her career, Napolitano was also featured as a “Proud American Hero” in education in a PSA on Fox News.
The Rye City School District appointed two assistant principals, Joanna Napolitano and Torrance Walley, at Midland and Osborn schools. This is the ﬁrst time the district has had assistant principal positions at the elementary school level. Photos courtesy Rye City School District
Walley comes to Osborn School, headed by principal Angela Garcia, from the Washingtonville Central School District, where he has taught third and fourth grade at Little Britain Elementary School and sixth and seventh grade Reading Academic Intervention Services at Washingtonville Middle School. He has also served as a special education/ reading teacher assistant in the Poughkeepsie school district, as an instructor and course developer for the state Teacher Centers, and a literacy teacher at the college level. “As a classroom teacher, your focus is on developing the skills of your students for your particular grade level,” he said, whereas “as an administrator, your thinking shifts to a
more ‘whole systems approach,’ focusing on the educational experience of a student.” Walley has a Bachelor of Science Degree from SUNY Cortland in childhood education, a Master of Arts from Columbia University, Teachers College in literacy, where he studied with literacy education icon Lucy Calkins. He also holds a Certiﬁcate of Advanced Study in school leadership from SUNY New Paltz. At Washingtonville, Walley also created and headed a new bully prevention program, and designed an elementary math program. “Rye City Schools are known for having inspired students, talented staff and a supportive community,” said Walley. “I am eager to become a part of this school and this city.”
6 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • June 14, 2013
L etters
Bramson doesn’t get the American Dream
To the Editor, Democratic candidate for county executive, Noam Bramson, has taken the position that County Executive Rob Astorino is deceiving us about HUD’s intentions towards Westchester County, going so far as to accuse the county executive of creating his own “imaginary threat.” Either Mr. Bramson has no understanding of what HUD is trying to do to our county, or he is attempting to purposefully mislead us for his own-and, perhaps even HUD’s-political ends. We move to Westchester County for a number of reasons. Not the least of these is the suburban residential setting provided by our municipalities’ single-family homes and the thoughtful placement of its apartment or garden type housing. That setting is protected by our local zoning ordinances, which require certain minimum lot sizes and restrict multi-family homes to certain of our community’s neighborhoods, in accordance with our community’s speciﬁc culture and land planning. Some of us want and are able to afford large homes on spacious lots, but many of us achieve our piece of the “American Dream” on more modest lots of 10,000 square feet-a common suburban lot size of less than a quarter of an acre-or by renting or purchasing an attractive apartment in a pleasant suburban surrounding. Unfortunately, what HUD is attempting to do to us is far more than an “imaginary threat”. It is a planned assault on our communities, our suburban culture and our individual pieces of that “American Dream.” In this regard, HUD has taken the position “that 10,000 sq. ft. zoning, regardless of municipality, may have an exclusionary effect.” which, in turn, would require a forced federal remedy, according to HUD’s letter of March 13, 2013 to Westchester County. HUD is also demanding that the county override local zoning ordinances “that directly or indirectly limit the number of bedrooms in a unit, restrictions on lot size or other density requirements that encourage single-family housing or restrict multifamily housing,” according to HUD’s letter of May 13, 2013 to Westchester County. In other words, without regard to the fact that there is no proof of local racial discrimination, HUD’s social engineers want to bully Westchester into demanding that its individual communities change their respective landscapes to conform to HUD’s idea of racially diverse housing patterns. Mr. Bramson’s campaign column informs us that, unlike County Executive Rob Astorino, he does not “get it” or, worse yet, he does not care. However, if we care about our suburban way of life and our piece of the “American Dream,” then we should clearly understand that he is the wrong leader for Westchester County. Peter Lane, Rye
Thank you
To the Editor, On June 2, we held our very ﬁrst car show, I am pleased to say it was a huge success. We had a wide diversity of vehicles ranging from the early 1920s all the way through to today’s modern muscle cars and super cars. We even had a Delorean and a couple of really wild handmade motorcycle trikes. There were 75 vehicles in total. I would like to thank all that assisted us in making this a great success; for donating the food, I’d like to thank Post Road Market, Sunrise Pizza, Pizza 2000, Frank’s Pizzeria & Restaurant and Dominick’s Ice Cream. Thanks to my mom and dad, my nephew, Bailey, my brother, Carmine, for all their assistance. Thanks to DJ Phantom for bringing, all the way from Philly, his awesome talents. A special thanks to Mark Ervin-cartoonist/ animator for “The Simpsons”-for taking the time to be Skyped-in and do a live drawing for the children. A very cool thank you to Hank from Henry J Garage for setting up an awesome display of all Mark Ervin’s work and being responsible for my introduction to Mr. Mark Ervin. Thanks to the local media and all that helped get the word out. It helped bring us such great success. Thanks to the Rye Police Department and especially the Rye Auxiliary Police for keeping everyone safe as they navigated back and forth across Highland Road from Wappanocca Avenue to the municipal lot. Thanks to our awesome DPW for their assistance and the City of Rye for permitting this event. Thank you to all our neighbors of Rye Station Garage for seeing the good in this and attending the show. Thank you to Basil of Moonlight Cruisers for really putting it out there. Thanks to my awesome friends, Dan and Roe Fraioli of A.S.A.T.I. Air Structures, for donating the trophies. Without their direction, this could not have been as successful as it was. A very special thanks to my wife, Maggie, and my beautiful daughter, Allye. Thank you to all the car and bike owners for committing to our show. The net proceeds of $2,500 will go to the Friends of Jarrid L. Amico Memorial Scholarship Fund. Thank you! Jim Amico, Rye
Build the Children’s Museum now
To the Editor, I am writing to urge the Board of Trustees of Sustainable Playland, and all elected ofﬁcials who have supported the Sustainable Playland plan, to demand that County Executive Rob Astorino immediately allow the Westchester Children’s Museum to begin construction on their previously-approved and long overdue project. It is unconscionable that Astorino would hold hostage a project that beneﬁts all of Westchester’s children in a misguided effort to extort the privatization of a public park. There is universal bipartisan agreement that the Children’s Museum will be a great beneﬁt for all of Westchester’s children. It has been included in every proposal under consideration for Playland’s future, including the Sustainable Playland plan. Consequently, there is no reason, other than petty partisan politics, for Mr. Astorino’s stubborn intransigence. Sustainable Playland, and anyone who supports their plan, should tell Astorino to stop his childish obstructionism and call upon Astorino to behave maturely. For public ofﬁcials to support Sustainable Playland before it’s ﬁnancial and practical beneﬁts and detriments have been vetted and compared in a public forum with the other competing plans is irresponsible. By urging Astorino to act now to allow construction of the Children’s Museum, Sustainable Playland and its supporters would allow the Board of Legislators time to conduct its due diligence and help prevent Astorino’s attempt to force precipitous action. Tom Murphy, Mamaroneck Murphy is a candidate for county legislator
June 14, 2013 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • 7
Rye High School breaks ground on new science wing
By LIZ BUTTON STAFF REPORTER liz@hometwn.com
Rye City School District ofﬁcials donned hard hats and grabbed shovels at a groundbreaking ceremony June 6, ofﬁcially initiating the long-awaited construction of Rye High School’s new science wing. The project begins this summer after several years of planning that included a bond proposal that failed in a public referendum and months of shuttling the project through bureaucratic channels at the state level. Standing in the footprint of the yet-to-bebuilt 23,000 square-foot wing, a crowd of more than 60 teachers, parents, administration ofﬁcials, Board of Education members, construction project managers and reporters along with state Sen. George Latimer and Councilman Peter Jovanovich, gathered to celebrate the project, which is scheduled to last the entire 2013-2014 school year and wrap up by September 2014. Increasing enrollment is one reason the school district is building the new classrooms, said Board of Education President Laura Slack. The number of students on the middle and high school campus is too high, with 144 more students entering next year than is allowable, given the current capacity, Slack said. The issue of enrollment has necessitated the addition of portable classrooms, where some of the school’s social studies classes are currently housed. Not only are more classrooms needed in general, but the high school’s current science facilities are antiquated and outdated, and some of the interior structural elements date back to the 1930s. The high school’s science faculty provided recommendations when it came to the facility improvements necessary to professionally teach the school’s STEM-science, technology, engineering, math-curriculum, Slack said. “It was really more economical to have the new classrooms than renovate the really old ones,” Slack said The total cost of the project came in at $13.4 million with the school hiring Wernert as a general contractor at a bid price of
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ext. 20, liz@hometwn.com Rye High School Principal Pat Taylor expresses her excitement for the science wing construction project as Superintendent Dr. Frank Alvarez looks on. At a groundbreaking ceremony on June 6, Taylor thanked Rye teachers for their patience, cooperation and sacriﬁce in making classroom arrangements for the upcoming transitional period.
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$9.8 million and Pearl River Plumbing, JNS Mechanical Construction and Global Electrical Construction, whose contracts comprise the rest of the cost. In plans for the new science wing designed by KSQ Architects, new classrooms will replace four portable classrooms on the Milton Road side of campus and take up some faculty parking. Slack said high school Principal Pat Taylor got creative this year, reconﬁguring the layout of classrooms and shifting teachers around to accommodate students while construction is in progress. District ofﬁcials are adamant about sticking to the current construction schedule, according to Slack, which was speciﬁcally laid out so it would align with the current junior class, at the moment the smallest in the entire school system. Workers will be doing construction inside the high school over the summer to reclaim some of the classrooms in order to accommodate any spillover classes in the fall, Slack said. In his speech, Superintendent Dr. Frank Alvarez credited the “hardworking and intelligent women” who brought the district to this point, and preached patience with the process.
State Sen. George Latimer, pictured here with Asst. Superintendent for Curriculum Dr. Mary Anne Evangelist, was in attendance at the ceremony. “This is a day of victory,” said Latimer, who helped guide the project through the state Department of Education in Albany. Photos/Liz Button
“It’s going to be messy; it’s going to be noisy; it’s going to be uncomfortable. But it’s going to get us to a better place in 14 months,” Alvarez said. Student and faculty parking arrangements have been made for the fall, according to school ofﬁcials. “The city has been very cooperative with us, and they’re going to open the ﬁeld on Boston Post Road across from the stadium for seniors to park,” Slack said. The science addition has been a long time coming. In a December 2011 public referendum, an initial $19.9 million bond proposal was defeated with 54 percent voting against the plan. The project was vocally opposed by a group calling themselves the Committee for Strong Sustainable Schools, who raised concerns of subsequent property tax increases. In March 2012, district residents voted to approve a revised proposal: a $16.3 million bond issue to construct a two-story science facility, which converts seven science classrooms in the existing building into nine regular classrooms. The campus will gain an additional 10 classrooms with the removal of the four existing portable classrooms. After the bond was approved last year, school ofﬁcials had to get blueprints approved by the state’s education department, secure a building permit from the state and complete an architectural and mechanical review before going out to bid for construction on May 14. High School Parent Organization presidents Kim Abate and Ellie Kelly, and Milton Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization presidents Mindy Grigg and Dawn Yardis were pleased on June 6 to see the building process begin after initially stalling before the public. When it came to establishing updated science facilities, efforts to communicate the school’s needs were key, according to parents. Parents group Friends of the Rye City School District even established an informational website for this purpose. “I think once we got it out to the public,” Kelly said, “I think they realized it was necessary.”
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8 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • June 14, 2013
School, community recognize Class of 2013
Doug Carey announces Matthew Maloney as the winner of the John Carey Memorial Scholarship Award.
The Amico Family present the Jarrid L. Amico Memorial Scholarship Award to recipients Haley Antonucci and Jason Ruiz.
Rye Sound Shore Review Publisher Howard Sturman presents the Community Spirit Award to Catherine Livingston.
Rye Athletic Director Rob Castagna announces the Richard Uhle Sportsmanship Award, given to Michael Garofalo.
On June 6, Rye High School seniors were recognized for their individual achievements throughout the course of their ﬁnal academic year. At the annual Senior Recognition Awards Ceremony, awards and scholarships were handed out for academic honors achievement and athletics to the Class of 2013 prior to their graduation from high school on June 15. In total, 67 awards were presented by alumni, business owners and school administrators.
Principal Patricia Taylor welcomes everyone at the Senior Recognition Awards Ceremony.
Rye High School seniors at the school’s annual awards ceremony, which took place in the Performing Arts Center on June 6. Photos/Bobby Begun
Superintendent Dr. Frank Alvarez addresses the crowd at the Senior Recognition Awards Ceremony at Rye High School.
June 14, 2013 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • 9
Rye High School Class of 2013
Ryan Ackert Jonathan Steven Agosta Leah Alexander Nicole Carolyn Alimena Amber Taylor Altamura Natalie L. Amstutz Connor McLeer Antico Haley Antonucci Andrew Aquilino Henry Thomas Bailey John Hunter Baldwin, Jr. Kelly C. Barnhardt Noam Ben Yakir Michael Anthony Benincasa Benjamin F. Berner Michael Joseph Beveridge Madeleine Kahn Bianchi Kurt Anthony Bicher Merijona Biga Natalie Bird Harry Bonay Ava Claire Bradley Megan Bradley Maxwell Bresolin Albert Matthew Brunner VI Cristina Buenahora Jessica Elizabeth Cabrera Rocio Elizabeth Cabrera Christina Danielle Camacho Darianne Concetta Cardino Zachary Domenick Carpinello Jack W. Carty Jennifer Ann Cassano Nicole Ann Cavataro Jason N. Chen Daniel Chiappetta Jason Richard Chin Amanda Kathryn Ciardiello Evan Mortola Clark Samantha Perry Clark Robert Miles Clyatt Elizabeth Sheridan Collins Peter Timothy Collins Marisa Curlen Brian Austin D’Almeida Michael Alexander D’Antoni Heather Jeane Davey Grant W. DeBease Carson Elizabeth DeCaro Robert William DeLucia Christian Mullins De Santis Alexa Rose DiCostanzo Elisabeth Marie DiDonato Jessica Donahue Emily Adams Dowling Kyle Elizabeth Drago James Joseph Dugan, Jr John M. Durkee Colby William Ellis Elizabeth L. Emanuel Kevin Estrada Sean P. Fallon Corina Finn Claire K. Floyd Marcia Ximena Forero Nicholas Frederick Franchella Mary - Bailey Monica Frank William Friedman William H. Frolich Melissa French Fulenwider Emily Jayne Fung Nina Marie Gardner Michael H. Garofalo Matthew Vincent Genovesi Kaitlin Marie Gerety Michael Gilbert Charlotte Buchanan Goldman James Goldszer Nichole Gollan Casilda Gonzalez-Gordon Cecilia Gonzalez-Gordon Lucy Elisabeth Greenberg Greg Hale Richard Phillip Hardis Liam Harris Jack Henry Hasselmann Trevor John Gordon Hele Thomas Parker Henderson Emma Katherine Herbold Niko Thomas Herrera Laura Abigail Higgins Ana Paula Holguin Temur S. Imam Drew Jasmine-Ross Iorillo Emma Jennings Schuyler Grey Johnson Andrew Hammond Johnston Victoria Alexandra Jouvert Nikola Jovanovi� Mackenzie Martine Kashchy Evan Kelly John Gerard Kelly Bo Ellen Keuleers Taylor Alexis Khan Matthew Milan Kligerman Nina Alexandra Koester Katherine Elisabeth Konopka Kristina Simona Kotyza Tilemahos G. Koutsogeorgas Bradley Allen Krapes Gavin James Kreitman Brandon Dean LaBella Carter Frances Lahey Paul Lara Carine Elizabeth Leslie Christopher M. Lipari Josephine James Little Catherine Louise Livingston Alyssa Mary Longo Audrey Grace Love Vania Ludman Elizabeth Emily Lugones Rio Lujan Julia Lynett Matthew J. Maloney Olivia Mandracchia Alex Martin Claire Martinelli Brittany Anne Maurer John Joseph McCabe Fiona McFarland Christopher Michael McGinnis Daniel Patrick McGovern Kristin Ingrid McHugh John Soden Mechem Max Barrett Meyerson Cooper A. Mochel Liza Starr Morell John Paul Moschetti Mary Katherine Moseman Ross Mulkerrin Connor Joseph Murphy Mary Patricia Murtagh Christine Nelson Kathleen D. Nicholas Gerard Francis Nolan Anna Julie Norman Jacob Emanuel Nurick Seamus Patrick O’Connor Rory Joseph O’Gallagher Ian Michael O’Malley Michael John O’Neill Kayako Ono Gianna Carmela Paganelli Daniel James Papert Aniello Pasquale Thomas Parrello Justin Michael Passaretti Henry Wallace Pearson Edward Pellon Paola Peraza Calderon Philip Anthony Pignato Channing Nadine Porter Kelsey Soﬁa Ramalho Michael James Rath Jackson Chapple Reed Elliot Benjamin Reissner Charles Christopher Stuart Rimmer Margaret Anne Rix Clara Shefﬁeld Robertson Mary Harden Robertson Anne Leah Rowen Jason - Tyler Ruiz Maxwell B.H. Runes Alyssa Marie Santo Stephanie Santos Shennai Saunders Heather Claire Schindler Tristan Scragg Brianna Mercedes Scully Danielle Marie Scully Holly Secon Matthew Gregory Sherman Alexandra Jane Sims Nathaniel Taylor Sizemore Kevin Slack Emma E. Slater Nathaniel Curry Smith Spencer Harrison Smith Leire Sobron Melissa de Paula Souza Austin C. Sternlicht Scarlett Renée Sulliman Daniel F. Sullivan Chiharu Takei Aidan Eugene Talgo Emily Jane Tepler Laura Thornton-Smith James J. Tobin Catherine Anne Tompkins John Palmer Tuttle Michael Xavier Twyman Peter Luke Urbanczyk Judith Valadez Miranda Catlin van Dijk Antonio Varela Marshall Anthony Spencer Vickerson Joseph Robert Viger, Jr. Lauren Ashley Vita Fiona Rose Walsh Jessica Weakley Catherine Elizabeth Weld Peter L. White Thomas J. White Jabril Eric Whiteside Zachary Scott Wollman Thomas Steven Wong Brendan Matthew Wood Antonio Yousouﬁan Kylie Zahringer
10 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • June 14, 2013
Sixty years ago
A RYE OLDTIMER
Judge John Carey
On a balmy June evening, we strolled down a country-like lane bright with new red roses. It was a special time: Elizabeth II was about to be crowned; Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norkay were inching their way to the highest point on the planet; and, most important for us, our ﬁrstborn was expected momentarily. After our stroll, it was time to get to the hospital. The next morning was joyous. Our ﬁrstborn, named Henry for my father and older brother, was peering around expectantly as he took nourishment. The radio brought us the much-awaited tidings from Britain and the Himalayas: the Queen was crowned, and Everest scaled. Together with the birth of our ﬁrst child, this made a trio of important events for Patricia and me. We brought our son home to the gardener’s cottage we were renting for under $100 a month. He had his own little room next to ours. I used to take joy in responding to his middle-of-the-night cries by changing and feeding him. How sad for fathers far away on military duty not to share that experience, never to be exactly repeated if missed in the early weeks. Recently, we re-visited that little cottage, once we located it amongst 60 years’ growth of luxuriant foliage. The setting is almost rural, which is remarkable since, at the time I was commuting by subway to the criminal courts, there to prosecute cases as an assistant district attorney.
I had aspirations of growing vegetables, especially tomatoes. So I spent a Sunday afternoon digging up a small patch of ground near our house. It was tough going because of a network of roots just below the surface. These I grabbed hold of to pull them out of the ground. It was warm, and, with my sweaty hands, I mopped the perspiration from my brow. The next day, I felt an unusual sensation that soon developed into an increasing itch, on my hands and face. Bumps and redness appeared, and the temptation to scratch became hard to resist. Don’t ever get poison ivy on the palms of your hands. At night, I would lie on my stomach and press the ﬁngers of each hand against those of the other hand to resist the itch, until something like sleep took over. The day after, on schedule, I sat in an ofﬁcial vehicle driven by a county detective as we transported a piece of evidence to FBI headquarters in Washington for expert examination. The evidence consisted of the shattered remains of a large glass window, and the key question was whether the bullet that had struck a political leader sitting inside near the window had been ﬁred from inside or outside. As I recall, the answer from Washington was inconclusive. So where the shot was ﬁred from, let alone whom had ﬁred it, remained unanswered. Fortunately, my itch passed without its having been shared with my wife or our baby. Little did we dream that he would become a tenured university professor or run a Boston Marathon in 2½ hours. Reach John Carey at J_pcarey@verizon.net
Pet Rescue
Coraline is an absolutely charming tabby and white two-year-old female found on the street with a healed mouth injury. The topside of her mouth is missing with some of the gum and teeth exposed. Coraline has been seen by a vet and is in excellent health despite her old injury. She is very, very sweet, friendly and sociable and just a pleasure to be around. Coraline resides in a foster home, where she gets along well with the other cats, dogs and kids. She is spayed and up to date with all vaccinations. The adoption donation for Coraline is $75. To learn more, please contact Larchmont Pet Rescue at 914-834-6955 or visit www.NYPetRescue.org. (Submitted)
June 14, 2013 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • 11
Successful marina dredging redeems city after 2008 lawsuit
By LIZ BUTTON STAFF REPORTER liz@hometwn.com
An aggressive schedule and a last-minute ﬁnancial boost from FEMA during the city’s dredging project was a pleasant surprise for city ofﬁcials this spring. The dredging contractor removed more than the expected 15,000 cubic yards of silt from the Rye marina, and the government’s coverage was upped to 90 percent of dredging costs, from an original 75 percent. Last week, City Manager Scott Pickup said contractor Coastline Consulting and Development removed roughly 21,000 cubic yards of silt, before ﬁnal totals are calculated in the post-dredging survey. Dredging, in which a barge is used to remove and then dump silt build-up from the city’s boat basin, is needed from time to time in order to maintain enough depth for boats to enter and exit the harbor, which is connected to a federal channel. Earlier this year, FEMA classiﬁed 29,566 cubic yards of silt found in Milton Harbor as storm-related damage caused by 2011’s Tropical Storm Irene, 10,000 cubic yards that were not yet removed, and accounted for it in the Hurricane Sandy work, which constitutes 19,000 cubic yards. In the subsequent permitting process, the city received permission from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection to dump a maximum of 20,000 cubic yards of material in Long Island Sound.
A recovery project needs to qualify as a “large project” to get FEMA money, which means it must cost at least $64,000. According to Pickup, this year, all FEMA reimbursements hit a certain target within declared disaster areas, which increased aid up to $2 billion in all. A bid was awarded in April for $417,000 to perform the project. The city’s ﬁnancial share of that total cost was calculated at $104,000, but has since been reduced to $41,700 after the FEMA aid increase. The city’s share will come out of the reserves of the boat basin, an enterprise fund set up to remain self-sustaining through the collection of members dues. Pickup said that work costs could increase up to $100,000 if more than 15,000 cubic yards were removed, but the amount dredged would depend on weather, tide cycles and equipment function. However, the city manager said last week that the contract price also remained the same even with the additional materials dredged. Pickup recommended resubmitting for state and federal permits and funding in June to take care of the remaining balance of the 29,000 cubic yards that need to be dredged during the fall dredging season. The contractor was easy to work with, Pickup said. “Compared to our last experience with dredging, this one has been a very good experience,” he said.
Coastline Consulting and Development removed more than the expected 15,000 cubic yards of silt from Milton Harbor, according to city ofﬁcials. On another positive note, the government’s reimbursement for the project was increased from 75 percent to 90 percent. File photo
The city’s last attempt at dredging in 2008 ended in a lawsuit that the city settled more than three years later with $490,000 going to dredging contractor R.B. Conway & Sons. The project called for 23,000 cubic yards to be dredged from the marina, but the company sued for additional money when it turned out they actually removed around 31,000 cubic yards of silt. In 2008, the boat basin paid 100 percent of the $1.8 million cost of that dredging project
out of its fund balance. To avoid a similar situation, the city hired McLaren Engineering, of West Nyack, as project manager for strict daily oversight of the work at the site to make sure the dredging contractor followed the city’s plan. In previous discussions on dredging, Sack was careful to make sure the company, which was recommended by City Engineer Ryan Coyne, would do what it was hired to do.
DREDGING continued on page 12
12 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • June 14, 2013
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DREDGING from page 11
“We’re bringing them in primarily in response to issues we had the last time and last time there were issues in regard to how much the contractor was removing, where was he removing it from, and where was he dumping it... I assume that McLaren is going to verify all of that and if we’re paying them to verify that; therefore, they should also indemnify us if there is any dispute with regard to [these issues]. Otherwise, what’s the point of paying them?” Sack said. Pickup said representatives from McLaren stayed right on the barge while it was en route to the dump area. The company was also very diligent in concentrating on
getting the water depths increased around the marina posts, as well as creating a sump area to catch more debris. In terms of permitting from government agencies, Pickup said he should hopefully know something by late July or early August and get approval to put the project out to bid in September and award the contract in October with dredging taking place through end of December. Pickup said the city has approached some other local boating clubs, like Shattemuc in Ossining and the American Yacht Club in Rye, about working out some sort of joint permit to take care of the rest of the silt. A phone call to City Engineer
Notice of Formation of Marc R. Tannenbaum, MD, PLLC Art. Of Org. ﬁled with SSNY on 4/24/13. Ofﬁce Location: 1 City Place, Apt 1409, White Plains, NY 10601. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mal process to: Marc R. Tannenbaum, MD, PLLC, 1 City Place, apt 1409, White Plains, NY 10601. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
June 14, 2013 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • 13
Armonk’s Fortina offers a taste of the real Italy
Walking into Fortina, the new Italian res- Barcelona in Greenwich, Conn. Petroni was the taurant in Armonk, just days before its much- executive chef and Nealon the general manager. anticipated opening, I’m overcome with the “When I met Christian at Barcelona, the most wonderful aroma. connection between us was instantaneous,” At ﬁrst, the obvious source is the two wood- Petroni said. burning ovens imported from Naples tucked As for Krauss, he’s a childhood friend of into the corner of the seemingly endless sub- Nealons’s they like to call the “marketing guru.” way-tiled bar. But it’s an even richer scent, It seems these guys really like to collaboone that I haven’t come upon in Westchester rate. Another amazing food partnership they in quite some time. Taking in the rustic sur- forged was at Cooked & Co. in Scarsdale, roundings, complete with old barn doors and where I ﬁrst came across their food. The forged iron ﬁttings, light ﬁxtures that look physical space was quite small, and yet their like they were bought directly from an upstate reputation was anything but. I wouldn’t think farm, I think the smell might be coming off twice about driving 20 minutes for one of their the ﬂoor to ceiling cyprus banana nut mufﬁns stuffed walls which were aged by with Nutella. And then there ﬁre—literally, a blow torch. were the Saturday night poBut that’s not it either. WESTCHESTER lenta tables. After spending an hour Petroni came up with the WANDERER with Christian Petroni, John idea of doing a chef’s table Lisa Jardine Nealon and Rob Krauss— on Saturday nights featuring the three partners in this polenta alla spianatora—litnew venture—I come to the conclusion that erally, polenta spread ﬂat. One of his fondest the wonderful smell that hits you as you walk Italian summer memories was the Feast of in the door of Fortina is success. the Mother Mary, when Uncle Louie would These guys know food and they know how make a big pot of polenta. The contents of the to enjoy it. And at Fortina, they’ve used every- pot would be spread out on a specially-made thing they’ve learned from their past experi- wooden table and the guests would bring ences to make sure you will, too. Ragu and grilled meats, which would be laid Petroni grew up in a true Italian family in the on top of the polenta. He did the same thing at Bronx and spent idyllic summers on Ponza, a Cooked & Co., but with an added online tweak. tiny island off the coast of Naples. He was so They put an invite on Facebook and, within 45 inﬂuenced by his extended family and the food minutes, sold out the entire series of Saturday they fed him, he pays homage to his Uncle nights with a 500-person waiting list. Louie above the bar. A photo taken this past I was one of those 500 who never did get summer with Petroni’s iPhone of his uncle, off the list. shirtless and smoking a cigarette with the ubiq“The polenta tables brought strangers touitous espresso in hand, has been beautifully gether whose only commonality was a love of rendered into a piece of art. It’s almost like food and a sense of adventure,” Nealon said. Louie is watching over the joint, making sure Wendy Gellert, a Harrison resident and his nephew does right by his customers. foodie said, “It was one of the best meals I Petroni and Nealon met while working at ate all year.”
Partners John Nealon, left, and Christian Petroni of Fortina in Armonk. Photos/Lisa Jardine
Krauss, the partner tasked with the team’s online presence, is extremely media savvy and refuses to use technology to push their customers to do anything. “Facebook is all about friends. We have no desire to monetize it. Our Facebook page is a reﬂection of us and what we like to do—which is eat good food and have fun doing it,” Krauss said. Their new website fortinapizza.com is crisp and fresh, just like their food. It’s in its infancy, but they envision it will be a great source of information with blog entries by the chefs and servers alike. Field trips and cooking demonstrations will be a part of what they have in store. This is a young group of chefs, restaurateurs and entrepreneurs, and it’s going to be exciting to see where they take it. Their menu is simple. Almost everything will be cooked in the two wood-burning ovens, starting with their artisanal and ﬂat bread pizzas. Look for incredibly creative and fresh toppings like zucchini ﬂowers, English peas, leaks and even bone marrow. They have a hearty antipasto of salumi and formaggia, as well as proteins a la carte: a beautiful piece of ﬁsh, a perfectly roasted chicken. “Cooking a perfectly roasted chicken excites me more than a dish with a thousand ingredients. Simplicity is king and it’s very
difﬁcult to pull off. It needs to be perfect,” Petroni said. Petroni knows a lot about perfection, as evidenced by his 2010 win on Food Network’s popular show, Chopped. When asked about dessert, Petroni waxes poetically about the gelato in Italy. “When I’m in Florence, I eat gelato seven to nine times a day. It’s that good. The homemade gelato we’ll offer here is sweet cream gelato, just like you’ll ﬁnd in Florence. Another dessert we’ll serve is affogato. The perfect scoop of vanilla ice cream with a hot shot of espresso poured over it, tableside. It’s my favorite,” Petroni said. If you haven’t yet visited their website to reserve your table online, you might be one of those famous 500 on the waiting list. Book now, or forever hold your peace. Lisa Jardine is a freelance writer who has frequently contributed to CNN.com among other publications. She is currently a student in the MFA creative writing program at Manhattanville College. She is always on the lookout for a great story, an amazing restaurant, an unusual day trip or a must-see cultural event in Westchester County. To contact Lisa, you can email her at lisa@hometwn.com and follow her on Twitter @westchesterwand.
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This picture of partner Christopher Petroni’s Uncle Louie oversees the proceedings at Fortina, a new Italian restaurant in Armonk.
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14 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • June 14, 2013
TEACHERS from page 1
Independence Party endorsement: Revenge?
By CHRIS GRAMUGLIA STAFF REPORTER chrisg@hometwn.com
A third teacher from Osborn School has been suspended due to alleged testing irregularities during district-wide standardized tests for English, language arts and mathematics. A petition is being circled to get the four teachers back into the classroom. Photo/Corey Baumer
Logan said Topol’s third grade class was the most exceptional of their daughter’s education at Osborn. “Mrs. Topol’s creative, intelligent, fun and invigorating teaching style pushed our daughter to stretch her thinking in all academic areas,” Mr. and Mrs. Logan said. “Mrs. Topol was quick to identify when Isabelle needed support and conﬁdence and was able to provide exceptional guidance.” Schwartz also said that parents of the 25 students in Mehler’s class wrote letters to the Board of Education defending her effectiveness as a teacher, with some telling personal stories of her ability to encourage kids to raise their hands and speak more in class. “She was the greatest teacher they ever had,” Schwartz said. Haleigh Telfer-Burgess, who said she was taught by Mehler 13 years ago as a elementary school student, said that, over the years, she got to know Mehler well and even interned as a student teacher in Mehler’s class while in college. During the internship, Telfer-Burgess said Mehler was professional and connected to her students with ease. “This internship allowed me to experience,
once again, Mrs. Mehler’s natural knack for teaching,” Telfer-Burgess said. As a parent of a current Osborn student in Mehler’s class, Eric Kamander said that, while he was unsure of Mehler at ﬁrst, he came to highly support her as a teacher and also wrote a letter to the district endorsing her. With that being said, Kamander also noted that the four teachers were allowed to proctor the tests given to their own students, which he said is the fault of the school district. If a teacher is, in fact, guilty of testing irregularities, Kamander said that it would be upsetting on many levels. “You have these teachers where a signiﬁcant amount of their evaluation is based on these standardized tests,” Kamander said “This shouldn’t just reﬂect on the teachers, it should rest on the principal and superintendent as well.” In late May, three teachers from the two Rye elementary schools were suspended due to the allegations of testing irregularities. According to Schools Superintendent Dr. Frank Alvarez, a parent, whose identity remains unknown, alerted the district to the possibility of testing irregularities on May 6.
The Westchester County Independence Party has made its ofﬁcial endorsement for the upcoming county executive race, choosing New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, who received the Democratic Party’s nomination in April. Four years ago, Bramson’s opponent, incumbent Rob Astorino, a Republican, received the Independence nomination, but party chair Giulio “Doc” Cavallo said that rising property taxes and a lack of job creation strategies under the current county executive caused the party to shift its support elsewhere. However, representatives from Astorino’s campaign have said that Cavallo’s decision to endorse Bramson was no surprise and was done vengefully, after the county executive refused to grant jobs to a number of Giulio Cavallo, chair of the county’s Independence announced the party’s endorsement will go people in the party who are close to Party, to Democratic New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, Cavallo. pictured. However, incumbent Rob Astorino’s campaign According to the county Board of sees this as a way of exacting revenge for not Elections, the Independence Party complying with Cavallo demands in 2009. File photo has 22,132 registered members in Westchester, making it the third-largest po- the Independence Party nomination for a litical party, trailing Democrats, with 250,232 number of reasons, and believes the shifting registered voters, and Republicans, with focus in the party is due to Astorino’s changing policies. 132,460 voters. “We are obviously quite happy that [the In 2009, Cavallo endorsed Astorino when he ran against then-County Executive Andy endorsement] has switched because no Spano, a Democrat, and played an instrumen- Republican has ever won countywide ofﬁce without the support of the Independence tal role in Astorino’s victory. “In 2009, we had the support [of the Party,” Caro said. “I think it is clear that there Independence Party] and really appreciated has been a marked change in independent votit,” said Bill O’Reilly, Astorino’s campaign ers’ impression of Astorino’s policies over the manager. “We won on both the Republican years. They have seen what he’s about and they don’t like it.” and Independent line.” Tony Sayegh, a Republican political anaO’Reilly said the campaign expected Bramson would receive the endorsement over lyst, told The Rye Sound Shore Review that Astorino’s ability to Astorino this time around, traverse political party and that Cavallo is, “getlines will make his lack ting back at Rob for not of endorsement from the getting him those jobs.” Independence Party mostAfter Astorino won the “He’s got a group that is election, Cavallo expected close to him in the party, and ly irrelevant. “It certainly would to reap the beneﬁts of thought everybody would get be almost a requirement his endorsement through parked somewhere with a for someone to get the cushy county government Independence line to be vijobs for members of his very nice salary,” party, but never got them, Astorino campaign manager able in the county. But Rob has transcended political according to O’Reilly. “He’s got a group that is Bill O’Reilly on Independence Party boundaries,” Sayegh said. close to him in the party, Chairman Giulio “Doc” Cavallo “He is able to take his message and win support from and thought everybody a broad spectrum.” would get parked someAccording to Sayegh, where with a very nice salAstorino’s success in cutting taxes, reducing ary,” O’Reilly said. In published comments, Cavallo has denied spending and successfully negotiating with a that he has used his party’s endorsement to number of public service unions, make it clear get people jobs, and that he controls the party. that party lines will not be a major factor in the However, Cavallo is viewed as the outright county executive’s attempt at keeping the seat. Westchester’s county executive is elected to leader of the Independence Party wielding his serve a four-year term. political power for gain. An attempt to reach Cavallo for comment Barry Caro, a spokesperson for Bramson, said the campaign is happy to have received was unsucessful as of press time.
June 14, 2013 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • 15
GOP from page 1
Left to right: Terry McCartney, Kirstin Bucci, Councilwoman Julie Killian and Councilman Joe Sack pose at the Rye Republican caucus on June 6 after receiving the party’s nomination. Photo/Liz Button
an attorney with Rheingold, Valet, Rheingold, McCartney & Giuffra, a law ﬁrm in Manhattan specializing in products liability cases. A former Marine Corps ofﬁcer, he is married with two sons. McCartney said he, like Sack, plans to promote the ideals of integrity and accountability
in Rye government. “Working together, we can unite Rye and get back on track,” McCartney said. Rounding out the ticket, incumbent Republican Killian, 53, is running for her second term in ofﬁce after being appointed to ﬁll the unexpired term of former Councilwoman
Suzanna Keith, a Republican who moved to Texas in July 2012. As a member of the City Council, Killian has served as liaison to a number of committees, including the Rye Golf Strategic Committee and the Finance Committee, where she worked collaboratively on a fouryear ﬁnancial plan. Killian, who spent her career in the ﬁnancial services industry, said, if elected, she wants to settle the outstanding police and Public Works contracts. The councilwoman said she is excited to be on a political ticket with people who view Rye in a positive way. “It’s a group of people with fresh ideas who are willing to make some necessary changes,” Killian said. “We look at the glass half full.” According to mayoral candidate Sack, the slate, which is comprised of candidates from both major political parties, will work together toward a common goal: making the city a better place. “I think what regular folks in Rye want are practical problem solvers, rather than an adherence to a strict ideology no matter what,” Sack said. City Democrats have yet to announce any candidates for this year’s election. According to party chairman Rod Brown, the committee is currently conducting their search. City Council members are elected to fouryear terms but receive no ﬁnancial compensation or beneﬁts.
PUBLISHES
SPORTS Baseball’s knuckleheads strike again
In previous columns, I’ve stated that I’m not one of those baseball fans who demonizes players for taking performance enhancing drugs. I’m not a ‘roids advocate by any stretch of the imagination, nor do I think that Barry Bonds’ achievements should ever be put on the same level as Ruth’s, Mays’ or any of the all-time greats that came before him. But, ultimately, I understand why players do what they do to their bodies. In a culture where chasing perfection is an every day thing, many players, I believe, are looking for an edge any way they can, be it legal or not. But with this latest incident at Florida’s Biogenesis clinic, in which 20 players—many of whom have been previously on the hot seat for PEDs—have been linked to a dirty doctor, I may just be done. Suspend them, I say. But not for steroids, for sheer arrogance. Imagine you’re Ryan Braun–a player, coincidentally, I happen to like. You fail a drug test in 2011. Miraculously, you get off scot-free thanks to a mishandled sample and some aggressive MLBPA lawyers. That’s it for you on the steroids front, no? You ﬂew too close to the sun, got burned, but ultimately ended up unscathed—despite having a somewhat tarnished reputation. If I were Braun, I would do everything in my power to prove to people that I am playing the game by the rules from that point on. Braun made his money. If he cared at all about his reputation, he should be acting like a choirboy. Then why was he on Tony Bosch’s list? The ﬁrst reports out of his camp were that Braun contacted Bosch—who had known ties to PEDS—in order to “ﬁnd out more” about how his sample could have been tainted. If Braun doesn’t have a public relations director, he should ﬁnd one. If he does have one, he should ﬁnd a new one. Braun’s inclusion on the list, and his subsequent denial, are something endemic to people in positions LIVE MIKE of power, especially athletes. Superstar athletes, having grown up with Mike Smith coaches, parents and friends singing their praises, sometimes have a slanted worldview, one in which they aren’t held accountable for their actions. So, it’s no surprise that players like Braun and A-Rod would ﬁnd themselves in this mess. They operate under the assumption that they’re untouchable, but if MLB lawyers have their way—and these guys get slapped with 100game suspensions—maybe they’ll start to realize that even they have to pay the piper sometimes. Then again, it might take more than 20 players facing the wrath of Commissioner Bud Selig to get the point across. There’s always somebody waiting in the wings, just ready to grab the crown of stupidity.
www.hometwn.com 200 William St., Port Chester, N.Y. (914) 653-1000
Despite a crackdown on performance enhancing drugs, many major leaguers still aren’t getting the point. Photo courtesy my.hsj.org
INSIDE
INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY
16 • THE RYE SOUND SHORE REVIEW • June 14, 2013
Panthers take the field at White Plains tourney
By MIKE SMITH SPORTS EDITOR sports@hometwn.com
SPORTS
On June 8, Rye Neck’s football team got a head start on the fall season, playing in the Big Apple Tournament at White Plains High School. Squaring off against a bevy of larger schools, the Panthers fared well, falling in the semiﬁnal round. But with a host of returning players—perhaps none more important than Jakob Calvini—the Panthers could be poised for another big season come the fall. Calvini, the Panther’s allstate running back and defensive end, led the Black Hats to wins over Iona Prep and New Canaan on Saturday and will be an important piece of the puzzle as Rye Neck hopes to return to a section ﬁnal game this fall. A six-year member of the Rye Neck program, Calvini was destined for greatness in the eyes of head coach Nick Ianello, but coupled his natural talent by becoming something of a gym rat. “We knew, maybe as a sophomore, that he was a special player,” said Ianello. “But the thinking about Nick is that he’s always in the gym, putting in the extra work to get better.” According to Calvini, his devotion to doing the little things—be it off-season con-
Sophomore Ryan Morningstar eludes a tag on June 8. Morningstar, Calvini and Dom Brescia will make up a dynamic backﬁeld this year. Photos/Bobby Begun
ditioning or summer workouts—isn’t only an attempt to better himself, but is also a way to motivate younger players who are just starting out. “I know that being an older guy, the younger guys look up
to you,” said Calvini. “It’s important to take that leadership role and set a good example for the kids just coming in.” Of course, while Calvini might be one of the more visible players in the program,
Jakob Calvini takes a break during the White Plains tournament on June 8. Calvini was named allstate last season and will be back to lead the Panthers next fall.
he’s certainly not alone as the Panthers bring back several veterans this year, including fellow running backs Dom Brescia—who was an AllState honorable mention- and Ryan Morningstar. Together, the three running backs will look to lead a Rye Neck team that was resurgent last season after a tough stretch that saw the Panthers unable to put together a winning season. According to Calvini, those lean years serve as more motivation than last year’s success. “Everyone was excited about last year, but you learn more from those losing years,” he said. “To go through that, I think that made us stronger as a team.” The Panthers will continue to work over the summer, taking part in another tournament, a seven-on-seven, at White Plains High School as they look ahead towards the opening of two-a-days. “We’re going to get in the weight room, and do our conditioning,” said Calvini. “We’re just trying to get better all the time.”
Calvini hauls in a touchdown pass at White Plains’ Big Apple Tournament on June 8. The Panthers fared well at the tournament, beating Iona Prep and New Canaan.